Two brothers, Patrick Leonard, 23, and Lannee Ksigwa, 19, have been found guilty by a jury at Bradford Crown Court for raping a 12-year-old girl. The girl, whose identity is protected, bravely shared her traumatic experience in court, accusing the brothers of robbing her innocence and expressing her disdain for their actions.
Leonard admitted to knowingly raping the girl while being HIV positive, posing a severe health risk to her. Fortunately, the girl did not contract the virus. Following the assault, the victim gave birth to a child who was confirmed through DNA tests to be Leonard’s.
The court labeled the brothers as “dangerous sexual predators” who took advantage of the young girl for their own pleasure. Leonard received a sentence of 24 years plus an additional year on license, while Ksigwa was handed a 12-year detention in a young offender institution. Both men are required to serve a minimum of two-thirds of their sentences, register as sex offenders for life, and are prohibited from contacting the victim and others involved in the case.
Detective Inspector Simon Howroyd from Bradford District’s Child Safeguarding Unit commended the victim for her bravery in navigating the legal process and emphasized the seriousness with which sexual offenses are treated by West Yorkshire Police. He highlighted the importance of victims coming forward and assured them of being treated with utmost sensitivity.
